Jalil vows to keep Libya united by force after declaration of autonomy by eastern region

Tripoli, Mar 8(ANI): Libyan leader Mustafa Abdul Jalil has vowed to use force to stop the country from disintegrating following leaders' declaration of autonomy in the eastern region.

"We are not prepared to divide Libya. We are ready to deter them, even with force," The Guardian quoted him, as saying.

"I call on my brothers the Libyan people to be aware and alert to the conspiracies that are being plotted against them and to be aware that some people are dragging the country back down into a deep pit," he added.

His comments come amid mounting evidence that Libya is slowly breaking up into several rival fiefdoms controlled by militias.

A recent Amnesty International report had said that hundreds of militias are vying for power in the country and were increasingly behaving like mafia organizations.

Pro-autonomy leaders, however, said their ambition is limited to self-government in a region of Libya that had been neglected by the Gaddafi regime.

The Cyrenaica council insisted that control of the national army, foreign policy and oil reserves would remain with the national government.

But the declaration highlighted the strength of regional and tribal affiliations in a country whose provinces formed the current state of Libya in 1934.

Critics allege that eastern leaders want to form a breakaway state. (ANI)